Method of packaging granular materials



y 1947- J. M. WHEATON HAL 2,423,358

METHOD OF PACKAGING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 21, 194A zZMWHEAroHWorm mm aienteci July 1, 1a

METHOD F PACKAGING GRANULAR MATERIALS a 7 Jack M. Wheaton and John Hohl,Toledo, Ohio, assignors to Owens-IllinoisGlass Company, a

corporation of Ohio Application September 21-, 1944, Serial No. 555,187

' 6 Claims.

Our invention relates to a method of packaging granular or powderedmaterial by placing the material in containers, then vacuumizing thecontainers with the material therein, and sealing the containers underthe partial vacuum. The invention is herein described and illustrated asused in packing ground coffee in Jars which are then vacuumized andsealed. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is notlimited to this particular use. but is adapted for packaging othermaterials.

In packing coffee in jars, it is customary to introduce a measuredquantity of the powdered or granulated material into the jar, enclosethe upper end of the jar in a vacuum chamber, with a closure device orcap loosely positioned over the mouth of the jar, and then vacuumizesaid chamber, thereby withdrawing air from the jar. This operationcauses considerable disturbance within the comminuted material,particularly the upper layers thereof, causing some of the material tobe withdrawn from the jar. This results in loss of material and cloggingof the vacuum lines.

An object of our invention is to provide a simple and practical methodof overcoming this objec- Lion. 1

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a part-sectional elevation of a jar and a filling spoutthereover. a portion of the jar being broken away to-show' the materialtherein.

Fig. 2 is a similar view in which a plunger has replaced the fillingspout.

Fig. 3 is a similar view in which the plunger has been removed andreplaced by a vacuum chamber, chuck. and jar cap.

Fig. is a view showing the cap moved down to sealing position on thejar.

In packaging ground coffee or other granulated, powdered or comminutedmaterial in accordance with the present invention, a measured quantityof the material I0 is introduced into a container H through a spout l2.The container is herein shown as a glass jar. Following the introductionof the material into the jar, the latter is brought beneath a plunger l3which is then moved downward through the open mouth 14 of the jar, intocontact with the granular material. The plunger is preferably formedwith a convex or tapered end or tip 15 which as shown is conical in formwith the lower end rounded.

When the plunger is lowered, the granular material i0 is molded therebyto a certain extent, particularly the upper layers or portionsimmechamber I] (Fig. 3).

2, diately adjacent to the plunger, so that when the plunger iswithdrawn, a corresponding depression I6 (Fig. 3) is left in thematerial. The pressure applied by the plunger packs the materialtogether sufficiently to cause it to retain this form when the plungeris withdrawn.

The next step in the process consists in enclosing the upper end of thejar in a vacuum The latter is substantially in the form of a circulardrum open at its lower side and of a size to fit over the jar, Anannular gasket l8 of rubber or the like, attached to the lower rim ofthe drum, seats on the shoulder I9 of the jar to make a seal. Within thedrum is a magnetic chuck 20 on the lower end of a stem 2| which extendsthrough an opening 22 in the drum and has a close sliding fit therein. Aclosure device or cap 23 carried by the chuck is held over the mouth ofthe jar and a slight distance therea-bove, thus providing an annularspace 24 through which air is withdrawn from the jar.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, air is withdrawnfrom the chamber I1 through a suction pipe 25, thereby vacuumizing thejar and its contents. We have discovered that by making a depression ISin the mass of comminuted material, the usual disturbance of thematerial, produced by the vacuumizlng process is substantially preventedso that little or none of the contents is drawn from the jaw. Thecompacting of the surface layers 26 of the material by the pressureapplied thereto by the plunger, materially assists in stabilizing the material and preventing the, small particles from being lifted and drawnoff into the vacuum chamber.

After the Jar and its contents have been vacuumized, the plunger rod iiis moved downward so that the chuck 20 forces the cap downward intoposition on the jar, so that the rubber gasket or liner in the cap formsa hermetic seal between the jar and cap.

Modifications may be resorted to'within the spirit and scope of ourinvention.

We claim:

1, The method which consists in placing a measured quantity of granularmaterial in a' container having a filling opening, slightly compressingthe material by a pressure applied at and distributed over the majorportion of the top surface of the mass of material and simultaneouslyproducing a depression in the top surface of the mass, supporting aclosure in spaced relationship to and above the filling opening,exhausting the air from the container through the vacuumizing thecontainer and its contents, and

then sealing the vacuumized container.

3. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity ofgranular material into an upright, open-mouthed container, applyingdownward pressure to substanially the entire upper surface of the massof said material and thereby molding a depression in said surface andcompacting a surface layer of the material to a greaterdensitythan thatof the body of material beneath'said layer, thereafter applyingsuctionthrough the. mouth of the container and producing a partial vacuumtherein, and sealing.

the vacuumized container.

4. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity ofgranular material in'an upright, open-mouthed container, applyingdownward pressure to approximately the entire upper surface of the massof said material and thereby molding a depression in said surface andcompacting and stabilizing a surface layer of the material while thebody of material beneath said layer remains comparatively loose andopen, supporting a closure cap over the mouth of the container and inclose proximity thereto, applying suction to the interior of thecontainer through a restricted passageway between the closure cap andcontainer, and thereafter moving the cap to sealing position onthecontainer.

5. The method which comprises introducing a measured quantity ofgranular or comminuted 4 material into an upright, open-mouthed tar andapproximately filling the jar, moving a shaping and compressing elementhaving a convex shap ing surface approximately the same dimensionslaterally as the mouth of the Jar, downward through the open mouth ofthe jar and causing it to compress-asurface layer of vthe material toagreater density than the body of material there-= beneath and therebyform a concave surface layer .of comparatively" compact and stablematerial overlying a body of the material in a compara- .tively' loose,opencondition, withdrawing said element, positioning a closure cap overand spaced from the mouth of the jar, exhausting air from the jarthrough the space between the cap and the mouth-of the jar, and movingthe cap to I sealing positionon the jar.

6. The method which comprises substantially filling an open-mouthedcontainer with a com pressible granular material, compacting the topsurface :layer of the. material by downward pres sure through the mouthof. the container of a molding element-having a-convex molding surfaceand thereby simultaneously-molding the said top surface to aconcaveshape, applying suction through the mouth of the container while aclosure cap is .in non-sealing. position thereover, andthereafter'moving the closure cap to sealing position on the containerbefore the suction is discontinued. U 4

.JAC'K- M. WWAWN;

JOHN HoHL; w I

REFERENCES CITED The following references arejo f recordin the file ofthis patent: I

' UNITED sTATEsrArENTs Number Name Date I 2,149,790 Roesch "-ltiiar, 19%

